Trolley-rail for electric roads



W. A. P. WILLARD, Jr. TROLLEY RAIL POR ELECTRIC ROADS.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 28, 1897.

WILLIAM A. P. W'ILLARD, JR., OF HULL, MASSACHUSETTS.

TROLLEY-RAIL FOR ELECTRIC ROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,225, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed March 5, 1897. Serial No. 626,172. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. P. WIL-v LARD, Jr., of Hull, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trolley-Rails for Electric Roads, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to that class of rails in which there is a conductor normally insulated from electrical contact with the`carmotor, but brought into electrical contact therewith by the operation of what may be called a traveling rail, and it will be understood by reference to the drawings, in Which- Figure l is a longitudinal section of a rail embodying my invention in the best manner now known to me; Fig. 2, a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig. l. f

A is an iron trough preferably made in one piece, after the manner of a channel-iron, so called, and providing a base a and two uprights a', which form the floor and the exterior or protecting side walls of the rail structure.

B B are two insulators, preferably made of hard wood, which extend the entire length of the inside of the trough in contact with the interior surface of its side walls ci. The up-l per ends of these insulators B are shaped, as shown, to hook over the upper ends .of .the walls a. Between the lower `ends of these walls B is placed aninsulator C, which also may be made of a continuous strip of wood running the ventire length of the trough, so as not only to line its iioor, but also to separate the lower ends ofy the insulators B, and in connection with their hooked upper. ends hold them in place to form an insulatin lining for the trough.

D is the conductor, preferably made of iron. It lies between the insulators B C and is covered by an insulator E, which also may be made of hard wood. Thus the conductor D is inclosed in an insulating-box, its ends being insulated by means described below.

F F are oontact-points,which maybe formed of bolts tapped into the conductor D, the heads of the bolts projecting above the insulator E and serving to hold the insulator in place.

Upon the insulator Eare mounted shoes G, each of which has a ribbed projection G'.

' H are supporting-rolls. Each roll is grooved at h, so as to iit over the projection G on the shoe G. These rolls serve to support the traveling contact-rail J, which is also preferably a piece of channel-iron sufiiciently wide to receive the tops of the insulators B and protect them from wear, as well as protect the entire structure from rain and snow. At certain points along this traveling contact-rail J are downward projections in the shape of crossribs sufficiently wide to lie between the upper ends of the insulators B, thus serving to center the traveling rail. The relations of this contact-rail and the insulators B are such that the contact-rail may have a free longitudinal movement. The upper surface of this rail is intended to receive the trolleywheel or other contact mechanism which is carried by the motor.

Contact is made between the contact-rail J and the contact-points F F by a lever mechanism now to be described.

K is a shoe having a projection Zt, which is located normally under the projection j on the contact-rail.

L is a rocker grooved at l Z', one groove being adapted to fit over the projection 7c on the Vshoe K and the other to iit over the projection j on the under side of the contact-rail J. This rocker carries a long horizontal lever M, attached by its middle to said rocker and carrying at each'end a pair of contact-surfaces m, and the lever M is of such length that when the rocker is rocked about the projection 7c on the shoe K one of the surfaces m will come in contact with a'contact-point F, while the other will swing up into contact with the contactrail J. As the rocker is capable of rocking in either direction and the lever projects in both directions from the rocker,'this action will take place in whichever direction the contact-rail is moved. S0 far asl now know this is the best way of embodying this portion of my invention. This structure I prefer to make in sections, each complete in itself, and in order to keep the contact-rail in a normal position and also to insure its returning to that IOO normal position aftcrit has been used I pro vide each end with a downwardly-prejecting bracket or angle-iron N and close each end of the trough by means of a piece O, bolted thereto and protected from the conductor by an insulator B of similar construction yto the insulator B, and like the insulator I3 preferably held in place by the end of the insulator C and a grooved section which hooks over the top of the parto. Between this insulator and the bracket N, I insert a heavy spring Q, this construction being similar at each end of the trough. The end of the contact-rail .I is also best provided with a turn-down lip j', as shown, the rail projecting suliciently far, however, at each end beyond the end of the trough to allow for considerable travel. In practice I make a number of these sections and connect the conductors in each by an insulated bond. Each section is provided with a number of friction-rolls I-I and may also be provided with a number of rockers, if thought best.

W'hen in operation a contact-shoe or trolleywheel let down from the motor rides upon the contact traveling rail and pushes it longitudinally in a direction of the travel of the motor. The traveling rail being supported upon the rolls II, which serve as friction-rolls, moves and imparts rocking motion to the rocker L, such that the lever M establishes a contact between the contact-points F and the contact-rail J, this operation being performed against the stress of the forward spring Q. lVhen the shoe has left the contact-rail J, the Stress of the spring Q throws the rail back into its original position, thus breaking the contact between the surfaces m and rail J and contact-points F.

A contact-shoe to operate this device is not shown or described herein, as it forms no part of this invention. Any well-known form of shoe will answer the purpose, provided it be capable of being given not only a downward movement to come in contact with the rail, but also a slightly forward movement, so that by a frictional contact with the rail it may cause it to travel and so make the necessary electric contact.

I prefer to provide the shoe G with its projection G', in order that the rolls H shall not work out of place, and a similar projection K is provided to form the fulcrurn for the rocker L. I have described my invention in its simplest form, its characteristic being the traveling contact-rail suitably supported and operating a lever as it travels to make electric contact between the conductor and the traveling contact rail and motor. As the rail cannot be depressed to make contact it may be made at street-crossings without danger that contact will be made by passing teams. As the rocker acts in either direction the rail can be used in whichever direction the line of travel of the motor may be. lVhat I claim as my invention isl. The trolley-rail mechanism above described consisting of a contact-rail suitably supported and capable of traveling longitudinally and an electric conductor normally insultated therefrom and means substantiall y as described whereby, when said rail travels longitudinally, electric contact will be cstablished between the said contact-rail and said conductor, as set forth.

2. The trolley-rail mechanism above described consisting of a contact-rail capable of traveling longitudinally and an electric conductor normally insulated therefrom, in combination with a lever suitably supported between them and engaged with said contactrail, said lever carrying contact surfaces adapted to make electric contact between said traveling rail at either extremity of its movement and said conductor, all as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a trolley-rail mechanisnn'an electric conductor, a series of friction-rolls and a trav eling contact-rail mounted thereon and normally insulated from said conductor and capable of a limited longitudinal movement, in combination with a rocking lever carrying contactpoints and adapted to be rocked by the movement of said contact-rail in respect to said conductor and to cause an electric contact between said traveling rail and said conductor, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. In a trolley-rail carrying a conductor, a series of friction-rolls and a trolley-rail mounted thereon and insulated from said conductor, in combination with a rocker suitably supported and adapted to be operated by said contact-rail and carrying a horizontal lever provided at each end with electrical contactsurfaces, all as and for the purposes described.

5. In a trolley-rail, a rocker mounted upon but electrically insulated from a conductor, said rocker being grooved on its upper surface and a trolley-rail mounted above said rocker and provided with a downwardly-projecting rib and engaging with the groove in said rocker, said rocker also carrying a lever adapted to make electrical contact between said trolley-rail and said conductor, all as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20thday of February, 1397.

IVM. A. I. TILL/XRD, JR.

lVitnesses:

GEORGE O. G. CoALn, EVA A. GUILD.

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